Recuerdos de la Alhambra--Granada

Note: I've done a pretty bad job with updating lately, many apologies! Our Granada trip was Feb. 19-20.

As our last trip with the UNC program, we took a weekend journey to Granada, a beautiful city nestled in the Sierra Nevada mountains in Andalusia. Granada is also home to La Alhambra, the renowned Islamic fortress that dates back to the mid 14th century; as one of our professors put it, it is truly a city inside of a city.

In Granada, we went to visit La Capilla Real, the final resting place of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella or Los Reyes Catolicos. Additionally we went to the Cathedral in Granada, another beautiful spectacle of the city. I have generally enjoyed traveling around Andalusia, because there are so many differences even between cities. Compared to Sevilla, Granada was a wonderful oasis away from the bustle--it is still a big city but because of it's proximity to the countryside and the mountains, it maintains a small town feel. As we walked the authentic cobblestone streets, peering at the various graffiti and hopping into tapas bars, I felt very consumed by the true Spanish lifestyle. The first night, our professors also took us on a mini-hike to the top of the city in order to see the beautiful view of the Alhambra. Like many of my adventures so far, it felt unreal. But after our official tours with the group, we had some free time as well. Saturday night we went to a tea shop for some DELICIOUS Pakistani tea that was infused with cinnamon, milk and a monton (means a lot in Spanish) of other things as well as some hookah. Although several people in our group decided to club it up that night in Granada, it was super relaxing and nice to just have a chill night with some friends.

Ferdinand y Isabella

La Catedral

Streets of Granada

Sierra Nevadas in the background

Granada graffiti

Sunday was the day of La Alhambra. But before we jumped on the bus to go to the fortress, a few friends and I decided to utilize my guide book in order to make good use of the day. We ended up going on a fantastic little tour of writer Federico Garcia Lorca's former (summer) house, where he wrote the majority of his work! It was so neat to see this house, which was built in the beginning of the 1900s with all of its original furniture as well as original artwork and diary entries from Lorca. It was honestly one of the best parts of the trip!

Outside Huerta de San Vicente (Lorca's house)

And finally we went to La Alhambra, the ancient Islamic stronghold that is nestled in the heart of Granada. Honestly, going there was such a fantastic experience that it is hard to put into words. My Dad has forever been enamored with Spanish guitar and one of his favorite songs is actually the title of this post; as I wandered around the fortress, I couldn't help but be entranced, just as I was by the beautiful song. Let these photos do the talking.

Problem solving across the Atlantic

Hopefully you remember my wonderfully successful, problem-solving adventure to the Sevici office that resulted in my cleared account. Well I am here to tell of another experience I had in which I also exercised my adult abilities (hey! I'm proud of it). And in a foreign country to boot!

Since forever, I have basically been a walking medical problem--between my allergies, asthma, back issues, migraines and sensitive skin, traveling can appear to be especially cumbersome sometimes. I arrived to Spain with all of my necessary meds (supply of 6 months), basically the equivalent of a small pharmacy, and made sure to tell my señora about some of my issues, especially with detergent. However, despite my preemptive efforts, two weeks ago, my skin kind of freaked out due to a still unknown cause (hypotheses include having dirty sheets/clothes, since laundry isn't exactly a weekly thing here), and it progressed into a little bit of a monster.

Last Tuesday, I took it upon myself to go to Medicur, our clinic for all medical problems, and basically demanded to get a prescription for Bactroban since I thought it was bacteria-oriented. I also managed to figure out how to get to the clinic by myself, and it is always nice to learn a new part of Sevilla. And I will say it can kind of be nerve wracking to go to a clinic by yourself where they don't speak English. But after marching in, giving over my passport/insurance info, I saw the doctor within 5 minutes and was able to effectively explain to him what I thought was my problem. Then I went to the pharmacy next door and got both of the medications immediately! It was very impressive how quick this venture was and definitely gave me a boost of confidence when it comes to medical ordeals in Spain. A boost of confidence that ultimately sent me back to the clinic a few days later...

Although I was confident I had correctly diagnosed my current rash, I was wrong. After two more days of extreme itching and the appearance of leprosy on my neck, I realized that I needed to return. This time, I went to talk to our program coordinator who had our other advisor meet me. I did most of it on my own again with the new doctor, explaining the rash, but it was nice to have someone there who could help me with any translation. Basically it was determined that I had an allergic reaction to something, and I was sent away with more meds. Another thing about having to deal with medical problems abroad is that the prescription equivalents can make you feel a little unnerved, especially since there is no FDA here. But after some research, I realized I received prednisone, which is guaranteed to clean this mess up. So here I am now, after two successful and confidence-boosting trips to the clinic and 4 Spanish prescriptions healing right up! So I have no excuse not to give credit to the Spanish medical system now!

You might wonder why I decided to post about this personal experience, but I can assure you there is a true purpose. In my moment of vanity with this post, I will say that I have always prided myself with my ability to problem solve and take charge independently--things I COMPLETELY attribute to my parents and their childrearing (thanks Mom and Dad!) as well as Leaders' Club with the YMCA. And when opportunities arrive in real life for me to exercise these traits, it really makes me proud of myself for handling the situation. And for being a grown up in some ways. Here in Spain, where some days can be quite tougher than others and ultimately lost in translation, it is nice to have little successes to round out my abroad experience, especially when they involve various aspects of life

So as I trek through month 2 of living in Spain, already with a bunch of adventures under my belt, here's to being young, growing up and experiencing Spain in new ways!

Guilty pleasures.

If there anything that flows abundantly here in Sevilla, it is most certainly dulces (sweets) and postres (pastries). My addiction has reached its peak and there is definitely no turning back. I've mentioned the beloved Croissanteria on my street, where I can get hot, delicious croissants that melt in my mouth for just .80 euro! However, la palmera de huevo (above) is my number 1 sweet (until I find something that is possibly better)! It is basically a heart-shaped layered flaky pastry that is topped with a to die for egg-like custard--so sweet and rich, but so good! They also have them in I had one today simply because I couldn't resist. There really are so many other types of pastries here as well, however, I am completely smitten with this one. The fact that they sell them EVERYWHERE does not help me resist either. As a warning, if I come back 20,000 pounds heavier, you will most certainly know why :)

Until the next sweet I discover, I hope this satisfies (or more likely intensifies) your craving for la comida española!

Never fear...

...there's PEANUT BUTTER here!

Capitán Mani has saved the day!

Dusk on the Guadalquivir

The progression of a sunset, Thursday evening by the river. I think I have found one of my favorite spots in Sevilla. Simply gorgeous.

This is Sevilla.

FDOC, Spain style. check.

This week marked FDOC or first day of classes (for those of you reading this who are no longer in tune with the college lingo). Classes started on Tuesday for me, and let me tell, you what an experience it was. But I can now successfully say I've made it through my first week of Spanish university!

First off, I have a pretty good schedule considering the limited options. I have 4 classes, three at the university and 1 at EUSA, the hybrid university school where I took the introduction course. Mondays and Wednesdays are by far my busiest days because I have all four classes (unfortunately I have yet to endure a full schedule like this because of shortened/cancelled classes this week, oh the schedules of Spanish university). And I have early classes Monday through Wednesday, yikes. But I think it will be just fine, even though I'm not a morning person whatsoever. My first class looks like it might be my favorite! It is the history and technique of photography, and so far the one I understand the best at the university. The professor lectures with powerpoints and also repeats himself a lot, probably to help all of us international students. I also have it with three other UNC kids, so we can definitely all study together. It's an hour and a half long, but after I have a three hour break until my next class...political and social thought of the 20th century. In which I (along with all the Americans) AM COMPLETELY LOST. I am pretty sure our professor knows it too, as he is always staring at us with a funny little smile. I really need the philosophy credit for gen. education at UNC so I am determined to stick it out. I asked a Spaniard for her notes the other day so hopeful I can get that rolling next week. Until then, I guess I'll just smile and nod, as I listen to something about the bourgeois, 1848 and a revolution.

After lunch, I have the Archaic Mediterranean, another class I have to take if I want to knock out more of my gen. education requirements. The professor is super nice and has been helpful to me, but once again I feel like a lost puppy in this class. I catch some of the stuff, but like my previous class, my notes probably are just rambles. Luckily the girl who I asked for notes for my other class is also in this class with me, so hopefully I can get caught up in both! This class is especially nerve wracking because I am the only American! I get pretty nervous when I'm in there but hopefully it will get better. :/

My fourth class is my class at EUSA which meets Monday and Wednesday night. I am so excited about the professor! It's a class about Spain and the European Union so it has potential to be a little dry, but our professor rocks! And our first assignment was to make a map of Europe, can't be too hard now, can it? This class is also structured much more like UNC classes, so we will have more work than the classes at the university. At least with this class, I won't be so far removed from the UNC class style when I return next semester.

Tuesday I have my three university classes and on Thursday I only have my political thought class. Which leaves Friday with NO CLASSES. Despite the intense beginning of the week, it will be nice to have long weekends!

I definitely notice the differences in Spanish university system already. Classes are pretty relaxed and usually are just lecture-based and the evaluation system usually entails a final exam and maybe 1 paper. Not too bad. I just have to learn to understand what is going on!

Here's to one week down, and 4 months to go!

Saturdays are for Ronda

This past Saturday, a good-sized group of us decided to day trip to Ronda, a small, lovely town in Andalucía located about an hour and a half away by bus from Sevilla. From the moment we arrived until the moment we left, I was amazed by the sheer beauty of Ronda --additionally the weather was gorgeous for a day trip and made it that much more perfect! We picnicked up in the hills with our bocadillos (sandwiches) and juice box vino (wine), walked over deep, terrifying yet breathtaking gorges and generally explored this treasure of a town before it was time to jump back on the bus. Absolutely beautiful. I think I'll let the pictures do most of the talking for this one--there's no doubt about it, I desperately want to return here later this semester.

La Catedral de Sevilla

So here's the point where I play blog catch-up for a little while...first up, La Catedral.

Last Wednesday, for another field trip with our SEVI 410 class at EUSA, we went to La Catedral de Sevilla, which holds the Guinness Book of World Records Record for the largest cathedral (it's true I saw the certificate). This cathedral is not only a sacred place of worship, but also home to thousands of pieces of art work, Spanish history AND CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS' tomb! Going into the visit, I was most excited to see this piece of exploration history that I have learned about all my life! According to one of my professors, the funny thing is that the location of Columbus' body was disputed for a long time--in 2006, Spain did DNA testing of the remains in her tomb (based on the remains of all of Columbus' family, who are also buried at the cathedral), and lo and behold, received proof that he really is in Spain. The Dominican Republic also claims the body...however refuses to prove it--I smell a rat. Although the remains in Sevilla aren't completely intact, it's AWESOME to know I've seen the tomb of one of the greatest explorers.

Here Lies Christopher Columbus...

Overall, the cathedral is incredibly gorgeous, it's Gothic architecture so just like one you would imagine. Huge arches, ornate walls and alters, gold plated installations, all so gorgeous! The cathedral is also still used for mass, though only a smaller portion is open to the public for this reason. Another major part of the cathedral is the towering Giralda, where visitors can climb to the top and see an incredible view of the city of Sevilla! Another fun fact (relief for us): there are no stairs inside La Giralda, but ramps instead. Why? So men could ride their horses up to the top. Crazy Spaniards I tell you!

View from top of La Giralda

But overall, one of the most beautiful buildings I have seen--as I often walk by it and stare at its incredible architecture, I am reminded about how truly incredible it is to be studying here and how thankful I am for the opportunity. I mean it's not everyday you get to walk by the world's largest cathedral and final resting place of Columbus like it's nothing. Only in Sevilla, my friends. And for that I am incredible grateful! Viva Sevilla, viva España!

Only in Spain (6, 7 and 8)

6. Everyone SMOKES, everyone. I by no means have any desire to ever smoke, but here, you are a clear minority if you don't smoke. I think I walk through at least 3 smoke clouds a day, and butts litter the street--lighting up a cig is simply a way of life for many Spaniards. But I guess it might just be the European tradition (I mean the French have a huge reputation as well...). But here's the two-part irony. 1) Spain, like North Carolina has a ban on smoking in public establishments, so it is nice that all restaurants and bars and such are smoke-free inside. IRONIC because of the sheer volume of Spaniards that smoke--how ever did that get passed? and 2) Spaniards are otherwise (or appear otherwise) super health-conscious/healthy. Our señora hates the idea of ice cream and other desserts with our meals and LOVES fruit as well as "natural" cooking. Also, although they don't seem to exercise as much here, everyone is still at an ideal wait--probably do to all the walking. Maybe Spaniards think that since they are always on the move and eat relatively well, they can just blacken their lungs forever and ever. Quite the conundrum for me personally.

7. There is no such thing as Lombardi time (Blue Ridge reference); being on time is over rated. After a day and half of class at the University of Sevilla, I have come to throughly realize that being 5 or even 10 minutes late is equivalent to being on time--no one ever gets grief for showing up later. Its another example of the laid back, yet busy lives Spaniards live and honestly, it is pretty awesome! I love losing 10 minutes of class because the professor hasn't arrived yet--also it makes everything a lot less intense. So maybe I'll start showing up according the this schedule, hey it's five more minutes of sleep!

8. When they say "tercera planta" or "third floor," they actually mean the fourth. This is something that truly boggles me--I also still struggle with getting it right all the time! The ground floor, which we in America would call the first floor, is actually floor 0 (planta baja). And No, it is not a basement. A regular floor at street level. From there you go to the 1st then 2nd, and then 3rd. So in my apartment, I live on la tercera planta, but I still have to walk up 4 flights of stairs. Yeah, the Spanish really have sensible systems--I'm not going to lie, I almost always hit "1" in the elevator expecting to reach the ground floor of the building. I don't.

The saga of things only found in Spain continues!

Only in Spain (5 things)

It's hard to believe I have been here 3 and 1/2 weeks already...does time go quickly or what? I've already finished my first class at EUSA, taken the final exam and Tuesday starts my first day at the University of Sevilla, where I will be taking 3 courses (in addition to another one at EUSA). And let me tell you, the university system here is quite the challenge to figure out, convoluted, less-than-through and hard to navigate. Between classroom numbers that go from 7 to 19 next door and a website that is only half updated, finding classes and working out schedule kinks was a chore to say the least. But honestly, I've come to find this mentality to be part of the Spanish lifestyle; overall it's something I don't think will be to hard to figure out. After all, I can simply sit back and roll with the tide...

Here's some more Spanish quirks...

1. You've probably heard of this "siesta" phenomenon in the past--is it really a midday, 3 hour long nap? Not exactly. Here in Sevilla, it is DEFINITELY true that stores begin closing at 2 pm everyday, and that everyone goes home for the midday meal. It is always neat to walk down my street and seeing swarms of children running home from school. In the States, this would be considered skipping school, but here just part of the daily routine. Stores and schools (usually for the older kids) open back up between 4 and 5 pm, but some place stay closed the rest of the day (banks). And while this happens everyday, not everyone (hardly any Spaniards, really) partake in the nap portion of the midday break. As we have told, it is the Americans who sleep after lunch, not the señoras. This schedule runs 6 days a week for the most part; in regards to Sundays, unfortunately EVERY SINGLE store is closed for the majority of the day. I'm not going to lie, that has been one of the biggest adjustments. Want to go shopping? TOO BAD. How about out for dinner? NOT GONNA HAPPEN. Luckily the weather here is quite lovely and everyone tends to spend Sundays outside. If it rained all the time, I don't know what I would do with myself.

2. Spain has an interesting method of efficiency--for example, all public clean-up services are completed at night. As I sit here writing part of this blog at 12:32 am my time, the garbage trucks are rearing to go on our street. I can't imagine anyone EVER proposing trash be picked up at midnight in Raleigh, NC. But it doesn't stop with the trash--street washing, leaf blowing, etc. all begin around 11:30 pm on their respective nights. Quite the schedule, indeed.

3. Chino stores are everywhere! What exactly is this, you probably ask? It's basically like a dollar store, run by Chinese people who live in Spain. Immigrants from China make one of the top immigration groups, and usually to open up small stores. They all have funny names like "Gran Bazar," "Ying-Yang Bazar" or "Tienda Wu" and you can be sure to find one, if not a few around every block. But that being said, they are really great! I don't think I have ever spent more than 3 euro in one of these stores, but manage to come out with lots of things, ranging from school supplies to umbrellas and house slippers. My señora likes to talk about her love of the Chinos and all the great things they offer at very low prices. For an American student like me on a budget, they have been a real lifesaver.

4. BEER. it's everywhere really. Every bar, coffee shop, McDonalds, ice cream store, grocer and Chino stores. Small cañas, large jarras, tall classes, plastic ones, every time. It's just beer EVERYWHERE. Coming from a country that is quite strict with alcohol policy, and more specifically a region that makes even more of an effort to be so, Spain is a free for all! No carding, no open container policy, whatever whatever. Also, there is one specific tradition here called bótellon, which is basically a getting together of friends, usually young people, to drink in the street, by the river, in a plaza, etc. There are specific drink kits, called "lotes" that have glasses, liquor, mixer and everything you need, however must people just go to the local OpenCor (a supermarkert chain) and stock up. Meagan was walking by the river on Sunday and said that it was a bótellon fest! She even saw my intercambio with his suspicious OpenCor bag. The thing is, despite all the other lax rules, bótellon IS illegal. If you get caught, it's not the end of the world, but mostly at night, police will come around the plazas and move out large masses of drinking individuals. If you move along as told, you'll be fine, but if you don't...who knows!

5. American music (and culture) has INFILTRATED. I'm not going to lie, but I think they might listen to more American music than I do, a fact that is a little unnerving. We have yet to go to a discoteca (dance club) or bar that doesn't blare at least one of the following: Kesha, Rihanna, Usher, the like. For example my señora's granddaughter who lives with us has a Rihanna ringtone on her phone, every time it goes off I am thrown back into American pop culture. I guess it goes to show just exactly how influential our pop culture has become. Even on TV, Meagan and I watched several days of Oscar coverage and overall Hollywood gossip. There are McDonalds (also there's a Burger King and a Dominos) quite frequently here and Coca-Cola is the "refresco" of choice (no Dr. Pepper for 6 months is going to be hard...). I went out for some drinks a few nights ago with a Spaniard and we kept joking how Sevilla is in some ways "Little America"--between all the Study Abroad students who hail from all corners of the USA and the cultural attractions. Although it is nice to be reminded of home sometimes, I can't wait to find how the Spaniards REALLY do it over here, sans the Americanness.

That's just a few observations from my time thus far...don't worry I am far from being down with describing all the wonderful (and sometimes not-so) differences!

Scrapin' on my (Sevici) Scraper Bike...

Here in Sevilla, transportation comes in MANY shapes and forms. In the scheme of things, sevillanos LOVE to walk everywhere they go and for the beginning of my semester, I too joined in suit. But eventually, the 25 minute walk to school, the 40 minute walk to our favorite bar and even the 6 block saunter to the end of our street began to take its toll. I had heard about this fabulous bike service that Sevilla offers, Sevici, before I even came and as soon as I got here, I went ordered my long term subscription. And every since my wondrous card arrived 1 and 1/2 weeks ago, the adventures have been quite the mix of great and frustrating. Here's a little overview of Sevici...

The Good:

The basic principal of Sevici is the ability to rent bikes in order to get order the city. After paying a membership fee and receiving your card, you can go to one of the several stations throughout the city and check out a bike. Your first 30 minutes of riding are free (and as I learned out the hard way, YOU SHOULD NEVER GO OVER--more on that later) and that can get you most places in the city with no problems! Also, Sevilla is super bike friendly and has a painted bike lane that traverses most of the city! So in theory, Sevici is a GREAT service--the bikes even have baskets and headlights and the service operates 24/7. The bikes are a little awkward to navigate because they are heavy, but overall, very efficient. Not to mention, it is a good workout, especially when paired with the already immense amount of walking I do. And there is a station right outside my house. Fantastic it would seem.

The Bad:

Like I mentioned before, you have 30 minutes to ride as you please free. And to check it back in, you simply find a station, push the bike into one of the lock posts and go print a receipt of your successful bike return (if you wish). However problems tend to pile on here. There can be a large number of bikes at stations that are broken or have funky seats (I rarely ever get a bike with an acceptable seat). Also, people have a hard time checking bikes back in and the locks don't click all the way. One incorrect return of a bike, and you could rack up 24 hours of charges to Sevici (it's .50 euro per half hour over 30 min, starting at 31 minutes). So even if you thought you checked it in, it is possible that you were in a rush and simply didn't here the warning beeps that indicate an incorrect lock. That's the first frustrating aspect of the service. The second is one I unfortunately have had experience with--not being able to find an open station. I can generally make it from EUSA, the school to my barrio in about 15 minutes on a bike, plenty of time. However, like all occasionally lazy Americans, I prefer to bike to the closest station which is right outside my building. WRONG DECISION. Tuesday began my week of bike problems (that is still continuing as of tonight, that part later) when I went ONE minute over the 30 minute deadline, simply because I could not find an open station. After 4 full stations, wrong way bike riding, an embarrassing fall on my bike, a bruised shin, profuse sweating and a lack of a bike lane, I had to back track all the way back to the first station in my neighborhood to plug my bike in. 1 MINUTE LATE. The issue compounds from there. Sevici disallows you to check out another bike until you pay the fine, so I decided to go ahead and clear it. WRONG AGAIN. After trying to pay online thousands of times with both credit cards and at 7 or so Sevici stations, I was unable to clear the charge. Additionally, the help phone line was just RIDICULOUSLY fast Spanish prompting, also clearly a no go. A few emails were sent, as I am more confident in my written Spanish abilities, but considering the "no pasa nada" or whatever Spanish attitude, ultimately I was bikeless for a few days. And once you've tried Sevici, it's hard to go without it again, especially when all time distances are cut in half! But being who I am (an investigator, a journalistic and an adventurer), I was determined to fix this hellacious Sevici problem.

The Adventure:

My friend Christina also ran into a similar problem with her newly acquired Sevici subscription--after a lazy riverfront ride, she too went over the 30 minute limit and lost access to the bikes until she removed the fine. Since we both share a preference for in-person problem solving, we decided a trip to the office would be the best way for us to solve the problem. After extensive combing of the website for the address (it was hidden inside the PDF that discusses the legal implications of the Sevici contract), several Google Map searches and intense discussion, we decided to go, even though it was a 1 HOUR walk from her neighboorhood (an almost 2 hour walk from mine). Considering Christina's barrio is off the Sevilla map we were given, the barrio where the office was seemed to be several quadrants off the map. FANTASTIC. The problem solving did not end there--my overwhelming love for public transportation shone through and I spent Wednesday night searching for a bus to take us remotely close to the office. After more Google maps and transportation websites, we found what we needed with the number 52. The next morning, with loose directions and some bus fare, we hoped on that 52 and rode our 20 minutes to the stop nearest to the office's address.

Also, we rode 20 minutes to what appeared to be a potentially bad part of town. AWESOME.

As we got off the bus on in the sketchy barrio of inspirational street names (things like honesty, friendship, liberty--uplifting right?), we traversed an even sketchier trash-filled field to the adjacent street where I remembered the map indicated the office was (no I did not bring a copy of the map I so carefully researched, just more or less memorized it). Good plan, right. Next thing we know, we Christina and I are no longer in a run-down barrio, but instead an equally run-down industrial park. Two American girls. excellent (in reality, since it was broad daylight we WERE FINE, the hyperbolic version of the story is just much better). So industrial park. As we were about to give up, the Sevici office shown like a beacon in the distance. And surprisingly were super nice and understanding off our bike problems and Americaness and fixed everything, telling us that a lot of people were having problems too. I would call this adventure a SUCCESS. Despite the semi-dangerous nature of it. Sevici is back on my list of favorites.

Back to normal, almost?:

It's nice to have my bike back, considering it makes get around so much easier! However, there is still the issue of full stations, more of a nuisance than anything else and to avoid repeating this experience I just tend to park at the first open station I see. Just part of the whole service experience, I suppose. Flaws are unavoidable. My newest challenge, however, has now been successfully riding the bike. After our day trip today, I managed to WIPE COMPLETELY out on San Fernando near the tram tracks (also with my luck, a tram was coming the opposite direction right to my side). But completely fall, bag go flying (with camera inside), bike fall on top of me, another bruised/painful knee, but mostly completely shattered pride as what seemed the entire of population of Sevilla was watching. Spain should have enough evidence now that 1) I am indeed AMERICAN; and 2) I probably don't know how to bike (at all). C'est la vie. Es la vida. Such is life.

Besides what's a small price like that to pay, considering I now call SPAIN my home? nothing in the scheme of things, my friends!

Sevici may be beating me in the current moment, but I will master the service by the end of my time here, I am sure. And all though in this post the bad certainly outweighs the good (or so it appears), it is probably just because of my prolific storytelling. Sevici is a great part of Sevilla and it would be fantastic to see something similar to this start in the States--Chapel Hill would be a prime customer! Overall, here's to happy riding, no more falls and mastering biking before returning to Chapel Hill!